The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-01-29

y
notice a large number of white basins
drawn up on the tables and "dressed"
with extraordinary precision. These
vessels are placed in position for the
reception of the soup, which is served
shortly before midday, and they bring
us to the important subject of the culin-
airy department. There are four cooks
connected with the castle guard. One
is corporal of the cooks" another is
standing" (or permanently cook; and
the remaining two are merely sent daily
on fatigue" from the barracks. The
provisions are conveyed to the castle in
a barrow of peculiar construction and
deposited in the cook house-a place
not at all resembling a conventional
kitchen, but both in situation and APP
pearance very like the dungeons one is
occasionally introduced to whsn visit
ing ancient strongholds. In this dismal
region are capacious ''coppers," in any
one of which soup, beef, vegetables or
tea can be prepared.
To return, however, to the proceed
ings of the members of the guard.
When they have satisfactorily arranged
their equipments and, above all, thor
oughly repolished their boots, a corpo-
raj calls for silence. This obtained, he
begins to make out the duty-roll, or
"dctail'' as it is usually termed, of the
sentries; and when the detail is COM
pleted, he af1iXes to the wall in prim-
tive fashion-with pieces of damp IA
ton bread-a short abstract, in which
the men are represented by figures. To
the initiated observer, the puIport of
this might be rather puzzling. After a
particular mineral, for example, is in
scribed the word cocoa" The soldier
to whom it refers has assigned to him
the task of preparing the beverage
named, which is issued to the guard at
midnight-the standing" cook having
the privilege of every night in bed.
The abstract is attentively perused by
the men, who sometimes take private
memoranda of the parts of its contents
that apply to them individually. Not
unfrequently this is done with a pencil
on their pipe-clayed gun-slings in such
a position as not to be apparent to the
inspecting officer.
As soon as every one has mastered
the corporal's hieroglyphics, a SER
geant issues from the bunk already al
luded to, bearing the "order-board, "
which is of rather portentous dimen-
sions. As the great majority of the
men know the regulations off by heart,
they are read in a slightly hasty and
perfunctory manner; though, with true
military eXactness, not word is omit
ted. There is little in the list of orders
that calls for special remark; but one
paragraph is, we imagine, almost, if
not quite unknown elsewhere; it re-
lates to the conduct of the corporals
when marching round the "relief." If,
when so marching along with his men,
Her Majesty the Queen should meet or
pass the party, the non-commissioned
officer is directed to halt his sub
ordinates, draw them up in "open
ORDER" and see that the appropriate
salute is rendered The curious order
which prohibits soldiers from "work-
r ing at their trade while on guard is of
course represented on the board but as
matter of fact, some men pass a good
deal of their spare time in the not very
martial occupation of making beadwork
pincushions. These articles, however,
command somewhat tempting prices,
especially in the metropolis.
While the men of the guard have thus
been engaged, the commandment has
f taken over his quarters, adjacent tC
| The guardroom, and reached by g
e pretty long stone stair, well worn by
| the iron-shod heels of many generation!
e of corporals and drummer-boys. Soor
= after mounting duty, the officer il
f Joined by his servant, who brings will
y him portmanteau containing various
y comforts. A cooking department i
f also required in the case of the officer
= whose meals, however, are conveyed t,
y him by the messmen from barracks
a Before long, the steps of corpora
If ascending the stair warn the Captain o
> the guard that the hour approaches TO
n him to march off the "second relief
L The posts" are numerous. One sen
c tinel PAGES about in front of the guard
II room, much of his attention being de
= voted to saluting the Knights Pension
e ers of Windsor, who reside in tn
st lower ward of the castle. An
d other soldier has ample leisure t
y examine the architectural features o
h the celebrated Round Tower, at tn
@ base of which he is stationed. A thir
lie takes post on the North Terrace, wher
Of splendid prospect enlivens the me
- notony of his vigil, and whence, if G
T. pathological turn, he can contemplat
m the windings of the river which al
l. said to have given the place the nam